Nutritional Status of Children Aged 12 to 36 Months in a Rural District of Hungyen Province, Vietnam

Abstract EN

Objective.

To evaluate the nutritional status of children from 12 to 36 months of age in Kimdong, a rural district in Hungyen Province, Northern Vietnam, in 2017.

Subjects and Methods.

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 327 children aged 12-36 months.

The data collected included anthropometric measurement, serum hemoglobin (Hb), and vitamin D concentration.

Blood analysis was done at the Center Laboratory of Hungyen Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital.

Underweight, stunted, and wasted children were classified based on z-scores cut-off less than -2 SD of weight for age (WAZ), height for age (HAZ), and weight for height (WHZ), respectively.

Overweight and obese children were defined if WHZ was more than + 2SD.

Anemic child was applied when Hb concentration was less than 110 g/L while vitamin D deficiency was termed for level less than 20 ng/L.

Results.

The prevalence of underweight, stunted, wasted, and overweight/obese children was 7.6%, 23.5%, 6.7%, and 1.2%, respectively.

The prevalence of anemia and vitamin D deficiency was 33.3% and 47.7%, respectively.

Malnutrition, anemia, and vitamin D deficiency were not statistically different by sex.

Malnutrition and vitamin D deficiency were not statistically different by age group but anemia by age groups was significantly different.

Conclusions.

Stunting is still prevalent in children aged 12-36 months in Kimdong.

Moreover, anemia and vitamin D deficiency also affected children in this area.

Some interventions should be conducted to improve the nutritional status of children in Kimdong district.